The House of Representatives' human rights committee has spotted a systemic pattern of harassment or intimidation instituted against "progressive" workers by Armed Forces of the Philippines in its anti-insurgency campaign. As a consequence, extra-judicial killings or disappearances of party-lists and political critics and opponents of the President Arroyo administration remain unabated.
Committee chairman Congressman Lorenzo R. Tañada III of 4th district of Quezon province, who, together with his four committee members, conducted inquiries in aid-of-legislation, told the participants of the public hearing that AFP elements tend to carry out the anti-insurgency drive in a manner beyond the protocol.
He even postulated a question on what authority the military is doing interrogation or surveillance on their victim-farmers or workers just because they suspected as members or sympathizers of New People's Army without a protocol.
"We have been noticing it as a pattern," said Tañada, citing similar scenario and experiences of some of his constituents in his home province.
Tañada stressed that when inviting the person for interrogation he must be informed of his rights provided for under the Constitution and it must be of his own "freewill." What would be his disposition if he is under threat. A person must be free in responding to questions not under the atmosphere of fear, he directly instructed Rito Montes, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bohol office, requesting the latter to also remind the AFP elements of this. - Join Filipino Friend Finder. FREE. Click Here.
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